TOXX #3, from Blood Moon Comics on 9/13/23, turns Claire’s flight from Tainer Town into a nightmare when Lucien’s mutants arrive for fresh meat.
The Details
- Written by: Evan Carothers, Eric Palicki
- Art by: Ben Worrell
- Colors by: Marta Gasperoni
- Letters by: Evan Carothers
- Cover art by: Brian Demarest (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: September 13, 2023
Is TOXX #3 Good?
Toxx #3 begins Claire’s dark night of the soul, where her best plans for escaping Tainer town come crashing down in a cascade of brutal violence and shocking loss. If Evan Carothers and Eric Palicki intended to make you believe Claire is in the worst place imaginable, they succeeded.
When last we left Claire, Hux, and Brody, they fled Tainer Town rather than let Claire’s pregnancy become a bargaining chip in Isaac’s hunger for power and control. Hux believes he can get a message to other groups of refugees willing to take them in. Now, Claire’s attempts at contact fall short when the trio are hunted by Lucien’s mutants, as well as Isaac’s Damned Boys.
Yes, that’s right. Claire, Hux, and Brody are hunted by two groups at the same time for different reasons, which makes for interesting confrontations. The series up to this point created a false sense of security that Claire could sneak around without much trouble as long as she avoided attention. This time, Claire is the center of attention, and her “sneaking” talents fall very short.
What’s great about TOXX #3? This issue hits the readers hard with the sense of desperation that bad things are about to happen to Claire, and she doesn’t have a prayer of getting out of it. You feel a genuine sense of dread and fear when you imagine all the terrible things Claire’s captors will do for their perverse ends.
What’s not so great about TOXX #3? As the story progresses, we get closer looks at the mutant humans still living on the surface, and they’re starting to look silly. It’s one thing to have vultures and ground animals with multiple eyes and monstrous disfigurements. It’s another to have an overweight woman walking around with tentacled hair as if she were a rejected creature design from a Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Sure, you can say the art team is having fun with the designs, but cartoonish monsters undercut the tension of Claire’s plight.
How’s the art? Setting aside the aforementioned mutant designs, Ben Worrell delivers a solid set of visuals, including an unexpected amount of gore. The scene transitions flow nicely in an intentionally hectic plot, and the action is briskly paced.
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What’s TOXX #3 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out TOXX #2 review to learn about Claire’s baby daddy and Lucien’s plans for the yet-to-be-born.
We begin with Claire, Hux, and Brody picking their way through a nearby city to find the tallest building still standing. Hux believes that they can get a radio signal to the legendary Peace Train, and if they succeed, they’ll find safe passage and refuge with the train’s inhabitants. After a tough walk and a tougher climb, the trio makes it to the top of the building to send the contact signals.
Down below, Lucien and his mutant followers pick up the trail with the intention of consuming Claire’s unborn baby. The mutants spot a campfire during the night and close in on Claire’s location. When the Sun rises, Hux spots the mutants as they begin the long climb to capture them.
We conclude the issue with a long fall, a new arrival, and a show of power.
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Final Thoughts
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TOXX #3 turns Claire’s flight for refuge into a race for survival when competing gangs mean to capture her for her baby. The stakes and sense of dread for what comes next are through the roof, and the art team’s visuals are generally good.
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